User blog:Eronan/Creating a Clan Keyword
I'm mostly doing this only because I'm bored. So on that note. Let's get started, this is what I figured out after looking at 2 mechanics I created to figure out the best way to support those clans. Export + Reinforce Do note, this is for creating keywords for custom clans. Getting Started Keyword Types So, you've thought up an idea for your custom clans (not with a keyword). For the purposes of this tutorial, I'll choose two clans I've already created a keyword for: Ocean Route + Etranger. Export and Cameo respectively. First, obviously, you need to think up the name of the keyword I'll leave that to you. Though just think about the lore of your clan and that should solve it quickly. Next, you need to think of the type of mechanic it'll be and how it'll have an impact on the game. Magia Type-'''So, first up we have the waste of card text space *cough* ahem *cough* I mean, Magia type keyword. Where it's just a branding of the keyword on a skill, nothing too big. It just allows you to create support for that keyword easily. All you need to do for this is create a name. Though I'm sure anyone could do better than just this. '''Lock Type-'''Next, we have an ability shortener. Lock and Time Leap are part of this group, where you shorten what would normally be a long card text into 1 keyword. You can choose to put a branding on it like Time Leap does or just leave it and give it your ''complete ''focus like Lock. '''Restriction Type-'''Thirdly, here we have the restriction type such as Wave, ThunderStrike, and Export. I'll admit this is just an easy way out, though if you plans to, you can make it a card text shortener. All you need to do is know what your clan is focusing on and make a restriction out of it. '''Harmony Type-'''Basically an activation type keyword, it activates when something happens. In this includes: Charge, Harmony, Engorge and Cameo. Here you choose a timing that fits well with the rest of your clan's mechanic, or in the case of Cameo will just work well. After choosing the timing you just have it give you a 'state'. '''Skill-Type-'''I was going to put this in Harmony-type but I decided it can work on its own. basically it's just Afterimage: you choose a timing and a skill to give it. It's basically just a skill but one that you believe would be useful to put on multiple units. As another example, I'll give you a prototype of one of my Ocean Route keywords before I finally settled on Restriction-type. "AUTO: '''Export (When this unit is placed on (RC), one of your vanguards gets all of this unit's other abilities)" This is the keyword that gives you the most creative freedom. Choosing a Timing for Skill-Type & Harmony-Type Keywords This should be really simple, but it's mainly just choosing a timing that can be accomplished simply by the clan in question. For example, Harmony is accomplished by returning a unit ot the hand and then calling it again. Making Harmony a nice keyword for Bermuda Triangle. On the other hand, binding for Nubatama is pretty much their main focus so Afterimage's timing works perfectly for Nubatama. At the very least the timing has to be accomplishable, as seen with Charge and Cameo. I made Cameo a "on-cost" timing because I didn't want to take away one of Dimension Police's possible (though generic) keywords, it is accomplishable by Etranger after I gave it many skills that use costs. Creating a Skill-Type & Lock-Type Keyword These keywords are good for fixing a clan's issues. Nubatama is is known for its low hand-size due to excessive calling early on as such the returning to the hand allows it to fix Nubatama's normally low hand size. On the other hand, Bushiroad's Gear Chronicle spam left Gear Chronicle with many good cards but no space to keep them, as such Time Leap was created. Or with Ocean Route's ditched keyword, it severely lacked some cards that would help the vanguard gain abilities besides a few here and there which would've turned into staples. Your Direction So you've chosen your keyword and what it'll do. Next, you need to create cards using that keyword choose how the keyword will unravel. There are two ways to use your keyword: Main/New Focus - Basically, it's lock in a nutshell. Link Joker has complete focus over the lock mechanic and uses it in different ways. Gear Chronicle gives you the chance to use it as a completely new deck while also making it support the old decks. In "new focus" this normally means making a completely new deck in your clan. Cameo is under this because I wanted to give Etranger a new mechanic than just power gaining. Support Focus - It's to be used with the old mechanic and must be used with old mechanics. Restrictions like ThunderStrike and Export can be classified in this because it'd be difficult to reach the restriction without having old cards to help you. Both Focus - Gear Chronicle's Time Leap does this because it has its own deck as well as supports the "old" Gear Chronicle. Another example I've done is Reinforce where something like Demon Warrior, Navin works well with old cards due to its versatility the card can be used to get rid of power debuffs or activate grade 2 Reinforce units. I initially designed Reinforce as a Support Focus keyword but found after creating a few cards that it worked much better with other Reinforce units of its own. Category:Blog posts